Allahabad High Court Directs Revision of CLAT-UG 2026 Merit List
The Allahabad High Court has issued a significant directive to the consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) concerning the Common Law Admission Test for Undergraduate programs (CLAT-UG) for the year 2026. In a recent ruling, the court has ordered the consortium to revise the merit list, specifically addressing a contentious logical reasoning question where the oversight committee had overruled subject matter experts without providing adequate justification.
Court's Rationale and Specific Directions
Justice Vivek Saran partially allowed a petition filed by Avneesh Gupta, a candidate who appeared in the CLAT-UG 2026 examination held on December 7, 2025. The petition challenged the answer key for questions 6, 9, and 13 in test booklet-C, which correspond to questions 88, 91, and 95 in the master booklet-A. While the court declined to intervene in questions 6 and 13, it found substantial merit in the challenge against question 9.
The court observed that the high-powered 'Oversight Committee' had arbitrarily overruled the decision of the expert committee regarding this question, retaining option 'B' as the correct answer without assigning any reasons. In its order dated January 23, the court directed that both options 'B' and 'D' must be treated as correct answers for question 9 of booklet-C and its corresponding questions in other booklets.
Impact on Admissions and Counselling Process
The consortium of NLUs has been instructed to revise the merit list by awarding marks accordingly and to republish or re-notify the updated list within one month from the date of the order. However, the court provided a crucial safeguard for students who have already secured admissions during the first round of counselling. It clarified that these admissions will not be disturbed, ensuring stability for those candidates.
For subsequent counselling rounds, the respondents are directed to act based on the revised merit list. This balanced approach aims to rectify the oversight committee's error while minimizing disruption to the admission process. The court's decision underscores the importance of transparency and reasoned decision-making in competitive examinations, particularly in high-stakes tests like CLAT that determine entry into prestigious law institutions across India.
